The preparation of beverages requiring the combination of refrigerated source liquids, ice and flavoring additives has long presented health, consumer service, product accountability and management concerns for the point of sale of retailer. As used herein, "refrigerated source liquids" refer to those liquids such as juices, yogurt, etc., which serve as base level ingredients in the preparation of pulverized, slush-like consistency consumer beverages. An example of such beverages would be those designated as "slurpy" or "smoothie" type drinks commonly found and retailed at shopping malls, sporting events, theaters and similar retail avenues of trade.
Health concerns associated with the preparation of these beverages relate to the issues of cleanliness/ingredient cross contamination and the maintaining of a consistent and healthful ingredient temperature. As can be readily appreciated, the combining of a number of ingredients within a single blending vessel requires that any number of diverse ingredients be repeatedly transported and introduced to such a vessel. Such repetitive transportation greatly enhances the likelihood of spillage, ingredient contamination and consumer perception of an unsightly, and perhaps unhealthy, product preparation process and facility. Perhaps of greater importance is the potential for retail operation censure, should local health or licensing officials perceive an unclean beverage preparation site, or ingredient temperature variances to be a public health concern.
Consumer service requirements mandate the consumer be provided the beverage of his or her design with a minimum of delay. Expediency however, often presents itself at a cost of inaccurate ingredient measure--a problem equally bothersome to both consumer and retailer. A product lacking in ingredient measure lacks quality, displeases the consumer and places the potential for repeat business at risk. A product providing ingredient measure beyond that which is called for reduces profits.
The retail sale of consumer ready pulverized, slush-like consistency beverages is a highly competitive business. A business which necessitates a detailed awareness of product usage and anticipated consumer demand. Such awareness in turn clearly points to the need for dispensed product accountability. Today's beverage management systems typically rely upon a physical count of empty source liquid vessels to determine the amount of product distributed or sold through a specific retail location. As unauthorized consumption, waste and spillage cannot be accounted for when utilizing these systems, such means of measure prove woefully inadequate. Of equal significance is the fact these systems do not provide for sufficiency of detail and accurate data to project future product trends and requirements.
The following scenario is typically encountered in the preparation of consumer ready pulverized, slush-like consistency beverages. The consumer first specifies the type(s) of source liquids and flavoring additives to be included in the beverage. The person preparing the beverage then introduces those liquids, additives and ice to the blending vessel. Herein lies a problem in that the person preparing the beverage typically risks losing eye contact with the consumer in order to fill the vessel up to a pre-designated "fill to here" line indicating the proper amount of refrigerated source liquid to be dispensed. As is apparent, a huge potential for overage or underage in terms of source liquids to be added to the mixture exists utilizing this process. Of greater significance, however, is the "fill line" dispensing methodology utilized by prior art systems is a tediously slow dispensing methodology. As such, volume processing requirements cannot be addressed adequately and further enhances the likelihood of unfavorable consumer perception.
Prior to blending, the consumer's beverage specification typically requires additional flavoring additives be included in the beverage. Such additives might take the form of fruit, frozen or semi-solid fruit gels, fruit flavorings, protein powders, vitamin compositions or other variety of flavoring additives in vogue at the time of beverage preparation. These additives are typically added to the beverage via ladle or ice cream scoop if of a primarily liquid or semi-frozen composition or "shaken in" if in powdered form. Using facilities consistent with those found in the prior art, great care must be taken at this point not to contaminate other ingredients not involved in the preparation of the immediate beverage as such systems and methodologies typically position these ingredients in areas immediately adjacent to source liquid and ice supply areas.
Counter space cost and availability represent yet additional concerns with respect to servicing the beverage consuming public. Existing systems and their attendant housings do not provide for the efficient organization of ingredients necessary for product preparation. To improve work processes associated with the preparation of pulverized, slush-like consistency beverages, additional counter space must often be leased to make necessary ingredients readily accessible to the person responsible for beverage preparation. Should additional counter space not be available, or cost prohibitive, the retailer is faced with the prospect of moving to a less desirable commercial location. The present invention's use of a remote refrigeration unit to accommodate source liquid requirements results in the reduction of front line refrigeration requirements and an approximate counter space saving of 55% when compared to prior art facilities. The invention's comprehensive, efficient methodology, and improved apparatus to serve and account for beverages processed through such a facility provides for significant improvement over prior art systems.
In view of the aforementioned inadequacies, inefficient state of the art facilities and beverage preparation processes a need has clearly arisen for an improved system, method and apparatus for dispensing and combining refrigerated source liquids, ice and flavoring additives to create a beverage of pulverized, slush-like consistency. A need clearly met and exceeded by the improvements embodied within the present invention.